“Fashion is a masquerade of gender”: City student gets published in Bloomsbury anthology

In his essay The Men Who Dressed Me, Honor Wilson explores men’s fashion through a trans lens. It is published in the anthology Dressays, compiled by Dr Rosie Findlay, Senior Lecturer at City St George's, University of London.

Before coming to City St George’s, Wilson's knowledge of fashion was derived from movies like The Devil Wears Prada and Fargo. For his assignment in the module ‘Special Study: The Contemporary Essay’, he recalls the journey of his coming out as a trans man, his experience as a student in London and the impact movies like The Big Lebowski had on his fashion choices.

That was the first time that I'd ever been asked to write something about me. Usually, I find a lot of comfort and safety in writing about someone or something else. So, having the subject be me and how I interact with fashion was a completely new territory for me.

When I first started drafting it, I really didn't want to make it about being trans. I had to cut that open and look at what oozed out.

When I think about my process of understanding myself and realising my gender, I think of fashion and presentation. Fashion is a masquerade of gender for anyone: how you do your hair, how you wear a top, it is just so intricate.

This assignment wasn't just any ordinary one for Honor. Writing this meant sitting down and questioning the choices he made in his life with regard to fashion and his tastes. “It was easy, but at the same time very hard,” he said.

Dr Findlay played a key role in helping Honor realise his potential. “I encouraged Honor to consider publishing the essay in my original feedback and offered to share some ideas about where to pitch it.

“I wanted to include it in Dressays because I wanted the book to explore as many experiences of being a person in the world as possible. Honor's essay speaks to that in detailing how he found a way, through dress, to inhabit his masculinity, and his transness, and by extension, himself.”

Dressays is an anthology of essays dedicated to the intersection of textile, memory, and mind. It shows how clothing can reveal the complex, deeply felt bonds we have with ourselves, our communities, and the worlds through which we move. These narratives show how dresses both bear and shape meaning.

Along with Dr Findlay, Wilson’s mother also encouraged him to reach out and publish his work. “It wasn't my initial plan to do any of that.

“My time at City St George’s was foundational in realising my potential as a writer. Having someone like Rosie encouraging me and always being available to answer any of my questions about the process really helped build my confidence and has made me properly consider what else I could do in the future.”

MAI, a feminist journal, was the first to publish his work. The whole journey took about a year. Seeing his work out in the world with the support of his mentors gave Honor the confidence he needed to pursue writing. He credits it all to the people who have been with him since day one. “Have an academic writer in your circle that you can bring your work to; any advice is good advice in that situation. Have your tutor look at it. I was lucky that Rosie went above and beyond for me.”

He encourages other students to publish their work.

Submit to anything and anywhere. And if they don't take it, self-publish. We have places like Substack now. It might feel like yelling into a void sometimes, but at least you're yelling.

It is also an exceptional example of how coursework is never limited to studies and can always be turned into something more. “Learn to trust your instinct, interests, and personal tastes, and nurture your curiosity,” said Dr Findlay. “For me, the most compelling ideas and work come when a researcher, writer, or artist is deeply interested in, or passionate about, what they're working on. In my experience, that quality invigorates the work and gives it a specificity and resonance. From these come the most exciting and unexpected opportunities.”

Honor is still processing his name being associated with a renowned publisher like Bloomsbury. “Being involved in such a big thing still doesn't feel real, and seeing my essay still be relevant even years after I first wrote it makes me optimistic for myself and other young writers.”